, 1887-07-13
WHEN ARE WE oLp1

Nnri"u- Estimates and Statements.
According to the rules of the late Pro-
fessor Faraduy the natural age of man
should be 100 years. The duration of lie
both IN man and animal he bell ed to
be measured by its time of growth, its
natural termination being five times that
age, or five removes from that point.
Man being twenty years in growing. lives
five times twenty, or 100 years. He also
divides life into two equal halves-growth
and decline; and this into infancy, youth,
yirility and age; infancy extending to
the Goth year, youth to the 50th, because
it is the period the tissues become firm;
virility from so TO rs, during which the
organism remains complete, and at 70
old age commences.
Another eminent scientist, DR.. Farr.
also says that the natural lifetime of man
is a century, which is the length of time
the body will live under the most favor
able conditions. DIR. Farr has divided life
as follows: Boyhood, 10 TO 10 years;
youth, 10 to 20; manhood, % to 90; ma
turity, 80 to 10; ripeness, 10 to So, and
old age, S5 and upward. If in the pres
encc of these eminent authorities | might
be allowed TO make my own estimate, it
would be as follows: A child continues
to be such until he is 90. which is the
law of the land; he is a young mar from
20 to 10; a middle aged man from 40 to
GO; an elderly man from 60 to so, and
an old man from so to 100.
There seems 10 be considerable doubt.
however, as TO whether the age of 100 is
at all near the limit to which people may
and frequently do live. On this point Pro
feSsor j. r. Buchanan writes as follows
-, Tn.A I-,,.-.a II NJ. a.uI-. 49,
limits Of human longevity are generally
moderated by the medical profession and
by popular opinion. Instead of the
scriptural limit of three score and ten l
would estimate twice that amount or
l40 years, as the ideal age of healthy
longevity, when mankind shall nave been
bred and trained with the same wise en-
crgy that has been expended on horses
and cattle"
The estimate of 140 years as a prac-
teal longevity for a nobler generation is
sustained by the number of that age
fourteen, if I r~ecollect rightly found in
Italy by n census under one of the later
Roman emperors, but for the race now
on the globe a more applicable estimate
is that of the European scientist that the
normal longevity of an animal is five
times its period of growth. Mans
growth, however, is not limited to
twenty, and if we extend the period of
maturity to tw~enty-eight, the same rule
would give 40 as an age for the best
specimens of humanity, md as this has
been attained in some cases, its general
possibility in improved conditions is thus
demonstrated. Professor Buchanan then
goes on TO give a number of instances of
persons now living who nave nearly at
tanned the age of 140.
On this point a statement recently pub
lished by NJ. Kohl, an eminent Russian
scientist, will prove interesting if not
astounding. He says:
despite their consumption
of the vile liquor called 'vodki' IA sort of
brandy, the Russians are stronger,
healthier and more long lived than any
other European nation. From the sturdy
old fellow of a century's standing down
to his great great grandchild in the era
die, brandy-or, in other words, vodki-
is the drink of all; and so entirely does it
seem to be adapted to the constitution of
the people that in no country does so lit
tie drunkenness appear on the surface,
and in none do the inhabitants live to
such an enormous age with fewer at
tendant infirmities. In the whole Rus
sian empire there die annually 20, 900
men above so years of age-that is t.
say, a third part of the yearly obituary
900 above 100 years of age; fifty to fifty
five who are more than 1870 years old;
twenty above 1870, and eight above 135,
while on the average two or three may
be annually reckoncd to attain the age of
from 40 to 1856.
If we go bnck to scriptural times we
find many instances of longevity, the
truth of which we could not accept from
any other authority thar the bible. The
late Mr.. Methuselah, for instance, lived
to be l 900 years old, and many others
are mentioned as living 500 to 500 years.
Compared with these old stagers, the
famous Mr.. Parr, of London, was cut off
in the flower of his youth, for he only
lived 1856 years, He might, however,
nave continued TO live many years longer,
in his rustic health and happiness, had he
not been taken to the court of King
Charles, where the highly seasoned dishes,
combined with his own gluttony, soon
killed him.-Home Knowledge.